1. Application and interpretation

    1. These Rules apply to all solicitors in the jurisdiction, including Australian-registered foreign lawyers acting in the manner of a solicitor.
    2. The definitions that apply in these Rules are set out in the ASCR glossary.


Commentary

1.1 Application

The ASCR commenced in Queensland on 1 June 2012, replacing the Legal Profession (Solicitors) Rules 2007. A table comparing the ASCR and the 2007 Rules is in Appendix A. In providing guidance on the application of the ASCR, the Commentary does not claim to be an exhaustive reference of common law or legislation relevant to the ASCR. 

The ASCR were amended and those amendments came into effect on 1 April 2022 in NSW, Victoria and South Australia (with some minor variations) and later adopted in WA on 1 July 2022.

On the 25 October 2023 the ASCR adopting the majority of the changes referred to in the above paragraph were made by the Queensland Law Society and came into effect on 27 September 2024 by notification under s 225(1) Legal Profession Act 2007(Qld). The Queensland Law Society did not adopt the changes to rules 23.2, 29.7. 29.12.5 and the definitions of “Principal” and “Serious Criminal Offence” in the Glossary and retained the original 2012 wording. The adoption of the new rule 11A was modified slightly.

1.2 Definitions

Refer to the ASCR glossary for the definitions.